My Wish For 2017

[Mathew Steel 151]

There's going to be a lot of controversy in this thread, I imagine. However, I feel like this is good a place as any to express my views.

 

My values, opinions and outlook on things have changed significantly throughout this year. I look back at myself just a few months ago and think, "What an *****." I don't like how I used to think and how I used to see things in black and white, although, I suppose that's just a part of growing up. I'm currently only 17 writing this and I know a few months down the line, I'll likely look at this thread and again think, "What an *****." We'll see!

 

1. 2016 has been "The Year of Unnecessary Labels" as I like to label it (irony). What I mean by this is people constantly needing to identify themselves and others through labels. I've had this come up so many times, for example,?

 

"Do you believe in equal rights?"?

"Yes."

"You're a feminist!"

"No, I'm not."

 

You can have a set of beliefs without being tied to a group. I love pasta, but I have no intention of labeling myself as some pasta-connoisseur, or of joining any pasta lovers forum. All in all, my first wish for 2017, is to stop using stupid, narrow-minded labels.

 

 

2. New genders, new pronouns. Before anyone starts a revolt against me, please read this in its entirety. I'll say first off, that to me there are 2 genders. That may seem a bit ignorant, and perhaps it is, especially since I study sociology and psychology. Nonetheless, I believe there are two genders. HOWEVER, I have no issue with people identifying as a gender that does not correspond with their biological sex. What I do have a problem with, is being forced to use made-up pronouns in order to not "offend" anyone ("offend" is going to be a keyword in this thread). I am fine with referring to someone as "he" or "she" even if it isn't their sex, I'll respect that, but the idea of me using "ze" and "zir" is, to put it lightly, a joke. You can't be "non-binary" it makes no sense grammatically, nor logically. I may be ignorant and arrogant in believing this, but too many people use these labels?simply to "stand out".?

 

My second wish then, is for people to stop limiting freedom of speech. I understand, people say horrific things, however, they should not be required by law?to stop. Any morally sane human being knows that "Kill all the filthy xxx" is wrong. We don't need a legislation to tell us that.

 

 

3. Being offended. I'm fully aware taking offense is something we automatically do. What I fail to believe is that it's natural. Nobody is born sensitive. Can we stop taking offence to ridiculous things. A friend of Carrie Fisher made a tweet saying (this isn't word for word) "The first thing I noticed was her beauty, then I realised how witty and funny she was." For some reason, people actually took offence to this! Arguing that noticing her beauty before anything is a narrow-minded thing to do! I hope everyone here can see how much easier it is to assess beauty before anything else, since to realise someone is witty and funny, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO SAY OR DO SOMETHING WITTY OR FUNNY! Why is that such a difficult concept for people to understand?

 

My 3rd wish is to stop raising children to take offence to things. Especially those things they don't agree with.

 

 

4. That leads me to my last wish. Arrogance. For one, anyone noticed that people, from either side of political parties, behave the same? With Obama, all the right-winged people started shouting that this was the end, saying that "He's not from here!" As if that somehow makes a difference. Now, with Trump, all the left-winged people have started shouting "We're so scared as to what will happen to us!" Here's your answer. Nothing.?

 

Secondly, people have different opinions, but we are so damn good at ignoring them, simply because the idea of our own morals and values being challenged, scares us. We are too afraid to change our views because somehow that would be admitting defeat. I'm tired of radicals. Whether they're left-winged or right-winged. Whether they are religious, or secular. Radicalism is stupidity, and stupidity is loss.?

 

 

There's so much more I wish would change for 2017, and I know I haven't worded these as well as one could. I just wanted to vent my thoughts on this year. I know it's become a cliche to say "2016 has been the worst year ever." However, from the bottom of my heart, for me personally, it has been.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Mathew Steel